Control for water softeners



May 3, 1960 e. H. KRYZER ETAL 2,935,198

CONTROL FOR WATER SOFTENERS Filed May 20, 1955 2,935,198 Y CoNrRoL nonWATER soFrnNERS Benjamin H. Kryzer, St. Paul, and Thomas W. Techler,

North St. Paul, Minn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Union TankCar Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application May20, 1955, Serial No. 509,936

4 Claims. (Cl. 210-138) This invention relates to controls for watersofteners requiring periodic regeneration and particulaly to improvedsemi-automatic controls adapted to be set to determine the duration andsequence of the several treatment steps including the regenerating andbackwashing, when required, and the automatic return of the apparatus towater softening operation.

An object of our invention is to provide improved control apparatus ofthe class described, which is adapted to be manually set to causeoperation of the softener through various selected sequences includingautomatically timed regeneration followed by ushing and return to watersoftening operation, or automatically timed backwash followed by downflush treatment and return of the apparatus to water softeningoperation.

A particular object is to provide in a control of the class described apair of valves which are operative to control the flow through thesoftening material for water softening, backwashing, ushing andregenerating operations in combination with improved time control meansfor actuating said valves including pairs of cams formed to control theduration of the backwashing, flushing and regenerating operations.

Another object is to provide such a control with a single timer having adial and pointer adapted to be manually set by reference to the dial tocause the softener to operate through any selected sequence of treatmentsteps including those hereinbefore described and to return the apparatusautomatically to service.

Our invention also includes certain other novel features of constructionwhich will be more fully pointed out in the following specification andclaims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates, by Way ofexample and not for the purpose of limitation, a preferred embodiment ofour improved control:

Figure l is a part side elevational view and part sectional view showingone of our improved controls in place on a water softener of commontype;

Fig. 2 is a part side elevational and part vertical sectional viewshowing details of our improved cam mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view showing the dial and manual controlfor the apparatus, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing the several cams intheir relative angular positions in relation to the several cam followerrollers.

As shown in Fig. 1, our improved control may be operatively connected toa water softener of the conventional type having a tank 7 containing abody of granular or particulate softening material 8. A cap 9 closes anopening in the top of the tank and is removable to permit solidparticles or pellets of common salt or other suitable regeneratingmaterial to be charged into the tank. Extending into the upper portionof the tank is a distributor 10 and another distributor 11 extends intothe nited States Patent lower portion of the tank. From the distributor11 a pipe 12 rises to our control housing indicated generally by thenumeral 13. This housing is supplied with hard water under pressurethrough a pipe 14 and is connected -to the distributor 10, to a drain orwaste pipe 15 and to a soft water outlet or service pipe 16.

Details of the valve mechanism and passages and ports in the housing 13communicating with the distributor 10 and with the several pipes 12, 14,15 and 16 are described in our co-pending application for patent serialNo.y 491,452, filed March 1, 1955, and now abandoned, and constitute nopart of the present invention. There are two plunger type valves in thehousing 13. These are provided respectively with valve actuatingmembers. 17 and 18 which project downward from the bottom of the housing13 into a casing 19 containing a plurality of pairs of cams mounted on acommon supporting shaft 20. Clock mechanism contained in a casing 21 isoperatively connected to the shaft 20. One end of the shaft 20 projectsfrom the casing 21 and has xed thereon a handle 22 formed with a pointer23. The latter, by reference to a dial 24 on the face of the casing 21,is adapted to indicate the several positions of the earns in lthe casing19. Calibrations and legends are provided on the dial 24. As shown inFig. 4, the indicated positions may include an off position, a serviceposition, a backwash start position, and a regeneration start position.The clock mechanism in theV casing 21 is of the conventional type havinga friction clutch connection 20a with the shaft 20 whereby the latter.may be turned in a counterclockwise direction automatically from eitherthe backwash or regeneration positions indicated on the dial or turnedby hand to any selected angular position. The' clock mechanism, whichmay be either spring actuated or synchronous motor actuated, is stoppedwhen the pointer 23 reaches the service position and also when thepointer is turned to the ot position. v

A first pair of cams 25, 26 formed to determine the duration oftheregenerating and flushingperiod are fixed on the shaft 20. There is also-a second pair of cams 2 7, 28 formed and arranged to determine theduration of the backwash and down flush periods respectively. Associatedwith each of the four cams is a lift 29 carrying a cam follower roller30 and the upper surface of each of these lifts engages the lower end ofone of the valve actuating members 17 and 18. The lifts 29 are generallyof U-shape, each having parallel side members 31`formed with verticallyelongated slots 32 'and v3 3 adapted toslidably t the shaft 20 and aguide pin 34 respectively. Thus limited, substantially vertical,movement of each lift 29 is provided for independently of the otherlifts. Each of the valve actuating members 17 and 18 is biased downwardso that the lifts 29.in engagement with these members are pressed downand hold the rollers 30 in engagement with the peripheries of the camsassociated therewith.

The shaft 20 is supported for limited longitudinal movement in bearingsformed in the casings 19 and 21 and the several cams are held on theshaft in suitably spaced relation to the lift arms 31 by spacers 3 5.The spacersand lift arms are fastened against movement along ,the4 shaft20. When the time control is to be setfor regeneration and flushing, thehandle 22 is pushed toward the dial 24 thereby moving the cams 25 and 26to operative relation to the valve actuating members 17 andA 18respectively, i.e., to the full line position indicated in Fig. 2. Whenbackwashing is required, the handle 22 is pulled out the broken lineposition (Fig. 2) thereby; bringing the cams 27 and 28 into operativerelation with' the valve actuating members 17 and 18 respectively? Asshown in Fig. 5, the `cams 25, 26, V27af1d'28`-t'f.;

mine the duration of the several treatment periods. Cam 25, for example,has ak segment a of relatively large radius and length and a stop finger25b projecting between two segments 25C and 25d of shorter radins andlength. Cam 26 has a relatively long segment 26a of Smaller radius andra shorter segment 2Gb of greater radius at the end of which a stopshoulder 26C is formed f or engagement with its follower roller 30. Cam27 has a long segment 27a of relatively large radius and a stop finger27b projecting between segments 27e and 27d of shorter length andradius. Cam 28 has a long segment 28a of relatively large radius and ashorter segment 28b of smaller radius.

As more fully pointed out in our application Serial No. 491,452, filedMarch l, 1955, and now abandoned, the valve mechanism in the housing 13may be so constructed as to cause flow during service operation from thehard water supply pipe 14 to the kdistributor 10, downward through thematerial 8, while the soft water is withdrawn through the distributor11, pipe 12, valve housing and service pipe 16. Such ow is establishedwhen both of the valve actuating members 17 and 18 are in the downposition, the camV follower rollers being in the full line positionsindicated in Fig. 5.

To eect backwashing, the cams 27 and 28 are dis posed to raise bothmember 17 and member 18. Following the backwash period down flush isestablished by returning the actuating member 18 to its down positionwhile the member 17 remains in its up position for at least a shortperiod of time. The apparatus isv then re turned to water softeningoperation by allowing the actuating members 17 and 18 to move to theirdown positions. .To charge the tank with regenerating material, thehandle 22 is turned to theV offA position thereby raising the actuatingmember 18 on thecam segment 26b and allowing the actuating member 17 tomove down on the segment 25d. This cuts cfr the ow of water to the tankyand allows ow -by gravity to waste while the cap 9 isi removed and acharge of regenerating material is placed `in the top of the tank. lDuring regeneration the actuating member 17 is rais arusm is set thefollower roller 30 drops off the end of the segment 28a of the cam 28 tothe down flush position on the segment 28X), indicated in broken lines,while the follower `roller 30 engaging the cam 27 moves to the brokenline position marked down flush, Fig. 5. The clock mechanism continuesto turn the cams for a further short period during which flow isestablished downward through the softening material 8, and, finally towaste. This period is terminated when the follower rollers 30 reach theservice position on the periphery of the cams. At the end of the downflush period during which turbidity is removed from the water, the valvemembers 17 and 18 are automatically returned to the service position.

When regeneration is required, the operator actuates the handle 22 toits full line-position, Fig. 2, wherein the cams 25 and 26 are inoperative position in relation to the valve actuating members 17 and 18.VThereupon the handle 22 is turned clockwise from the service position:indicated in Fig. 4 to the o i position indicated therein. This raisesthe valve member 18, returns the valve mem ber 17 to its down positionand thereby cuts oi the supply ofv hard water to the softener tank andallows Water to drain from the tank to the elevation of the waste pipe15. The requisite amount of salt is then poured into the softener tank,after removing the cap 9, and the cap is replaced. The timer handle 22is then turned counterclockwise to the regenerate position indicated inFig. 4, whereupon the lclock mechanism is operative to effect timedregenenation and flushing under control of the cams 25 and 26. Thus thefollower roller 30 Astarts in the broken line position in engagementwith the leading end of the segment 25a and the follower roller 30 forthe l cam 26 starts in engagement with the Yleading end of the andthemember 18 is in the down position. This` causes flow from the hardwatersupply pipe 14 downward through the material 8-and then out to the wastepipeV 15 through the distributor 11, pipe 12 and housing 13. Y

Summary of operation In Fig. 5 the follower roller 30 for each cam isshown in tlie service position in full lines. The broken line positionsof the rollers 30 represent their positions relative to the camperipheries at the start of the regeneration, down vflush Vand backwashperiods, as indicated by the legends. As hereinbefore indicated, thecams 25 and 2 6are operative to control the duration of the regeneratingand flushing operation and the cams 27 and 28 are operative to controlthe duration of the backwashing and down ush operations. Rotation of theshaft 20 is stopped during service operation and also when pointer 23 isset in the F011 position, Fig. 4, which corresponds toA the positionindicatedfby the legend salt inrFig. 5. 1 When backwashing is required,the timer control handle 22 is pulled out to the broken line positionindicated in Fig. 2 wherein the cams 27 and 28 are in position toactusegment 26a. The clock mechanism rotates the cams 25 and 26 in acounter-clockwise direction fora period of ytime which is predeterminedfor the particular installation. The regenerating and flushing period'may continue, for example, while the cams 25 and 26 are turned throughan angle of 300 degrees or more whereupon one follower roller 30 dropsfrom the segment 25a to the segment 25e of the cam 25 and the otherroller 30 engages the stop shoulder 26C of the cam 26; This stops therotation' of the cams and returns the apparatus to service operation.During regeneration water enters the Yupper portion of the tank 7`through the distributor 10, dissolves the salt upon the upper surfaceof the material. 8 and carriesthe brine downward through this materialat al controlled rate, thereby effecting regeneration. The spent brineis ,discharged `through the distributor 11, pipe 12, housing 13 andwaste pipe v15. Y

It will be evident that our time control including the cams 25, 26,27and 28 may be designed and adjusted to effect regeneration, backwashingand down flushing of any selected or desirable duration and that theadjustment of the backwash treatment timey is independent ofthe othertreatment times. VSince there is only. one control member, namely, thehandle 22 having the pointer 23, to be manually actuated and only thesimplest direc` tions are required for proper manipulation of thismember, the present invention is particularly adapted for domesticsofteners where the users are seldomV technically trained or skilledinthe art.

We claim:Y

1. In a control for water softening apparatus having a tank containing abed of water softening material and valve housing means connectedrespectively to a source of water, the upper and lower portions of saidtankV and to waste and service outlets, the improvements which comprise,two multiway valves movable in said housing means for controlling theflow through the bed during regenerating, backwashing and serviceoperations, arstpair of cams formed'to control the duration of theregeneration period and movable to and from an operative position inrelation to said valves respectively, a Ysecond pair of cams formed tocontrol the duration of the backwashing period and movable to and froman operative position in relation to said valves respectively, manuallyoperable means for selectively moving the respective pairs of cams toand from operative relation to said valves, and time control meansoperatively connected to said cams to rotate the same automatically.

2. A control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said time control meanscomprise clock mechanism having a dial and pointer adapted to bemanually set by reference to the dial to control the duration of thebackwashing and regeneration operations.

3. In a control for water softening apparatus having a tank containing abed of water softening material and valve housing means having chambersconnected respectively to a source of water, the upper and lowerportions of said tank and to waste and service outlets, theimprovernents which comprise, two multiway valves movable in saidhousing means for controlling the ow through the bed duringregenerating, backwashing and service operations, a lirst pair of camsformed to control the duration of the regeneration period, a second pairof cams formed to control the duration of the backwashing period, ashaft supporting both pairs of cams, said pairs of cams being iixed onsaid shaft and said shaft being movable longitudinally to place eitherpair of cams in position to operate the valves, and time control meansoperatively connected to said shaft to rotate the same together with thecams through a predetermined cycle of operations.

4. In a control for water softening apparatus having a tank containing abed of water softening material and valve housing means having chambersconnected respectively to a source of water, the upper and lowerportions of said tank and to Waste and service outlets, the improvementswhich comprise, two multiway valves movable in said housing means forcontrolling the flow through the bed during regeneration, backwashingand service operations, a iirst pair of cams formed to control theduration of the regeneration period, a second pair of cams formed tocontrol the duration of the backwashing period, means for selectivelymoving said pairs of earns to positions wherein the cams of eitheir pairare in operative relation to the respective valves, a shaft operativelyconnected to said cams for rotating the same in unison, time controlmeans operatively connected to said shaft to rotate the same, said shafthaving a friction drive connection with said time control means, and ahandle operatively connected to said shaft for manually turning it andthe cams to selected angular positions in relation to said valves.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,365,541 Rankin Jan. 11, 1921 1,661,676 Norquist Mar. 6, 19281,704,982. Lindsay Mar. 12, 1929 2,240,171 Brice et al. Dec. 1, 19362,539,221 Badeaux Jan. 23, 1951 2,571,000 Albertson Oct. 9, 19512,642,503 Dietrich June 16, 1953 2,689,006 Lindsay Sept. 14, 1954

